Artist Statement

 I create paintings on canvas using mixed media materials including acrylic, water soluble crayons, ink, charcoal, graphite, and collage. Forming a painting most likely takes place in my subconscious memories of nature and my environment, having lived on a river for most of my life and being inspired by these surroundings. Abstraction feels most authentic to me, as it is a process rooted in discovery rather than replication. It’s the continual state of discovery that influences my work and activates my growth as an artist, whether I am painting over a canvas multiple times or working in an experimental and playful mode and scraping, sanding, and obscuring areas. I follow a mood or feeling, energized by the surprises that appear. It’s this constant play between my subconscious and conscious decision-making that I enjoy. The only intentional part of the process begins with choosing a color palette, one that can also change. I use automatic mark-making, which sometimes involves writing, and manipulate and alter those marks with water or other media. I often incorporate various lines and geometric and organic forms that sometimes represent nature. The process builds upon itself, resulting in multiple layers and textures that create depth. I work in a way that feels like a conversation with the canvas. I try to be present without getting too attached to any particular area or outcome while also paying attention to composition and the relationships in the body of work or series. It’s the evolution of the painting that engages me and keeps me coming back for more.